Analytic devices that provide increased accuracy and/or robustness, decreased need for analysis sample, and/or high throughput are valuable analytical and biomedical tools. Additionally, molecular detection platforms that are miniaturized and manufacturable in high volumes provide access to affordable disease detection to many people in places and situations in which such access was not in the past possible. The availability of affordable molecular diagnostic devices reduces the cost of and improves the quality of healthcare available. Additionally, portable molecular detection devices have applications in security and hazard detection and remediation fields and offer the ability to immediately respond appropriately to a perceived security or accidental biological or chemical hazard.
Genetic information in living organisms is contained in the form of very long nucleic acid molecules such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). Naturally occuring DNA and RNA molecules are typically composed of repeating chemical building blocks called nucleotides. The human genome, for example, contains approximately three billion nucleotides of DNA sequence and an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 genes.
Determination of the entire three billion nucleotide sequence of the human genome has provided a foundation for identifying the genetic basis of many diseases, such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia. Sequencing the genomes or sections of the genome of individuals provides an opportunity to personalize medical treatments. The need for nucleic acid sequence information also exists in research, environmental protection, food safety, biodefense, and clinical applications, such as for example, pathogen detection, i.e., the detection of the presence or absence of pathogens or their genetic varients.